184 facilities referred for breach of environmental regulations

AMMAN — The Ministry of Environment has referred 184 facilities to the general prosecutor for breaches of environmental regulations over the past six months, a government official said on Wednesday.

During October alone, the ministry referred 30 industries for legal action, according to ministry’s assistant secretary general and spokesperson, Isa Shboul, who noted that the ministry has also closed down several industries last month.

“The ministry inspected 59 industrial, vocational, service and agricultural facilities in October and shut down 10 industries for failing to adhere to the environment protection law despite having been granted the legal grace period,” Shboul told The Jordan Times over the phone.

The violations entailed causing air and noise pollution, operating without a licence and improper disposal of waste, among other infringements.

“Almost half of the facilities which were referred to the general prosecutor were industries located in Sahab, located southeast of the capital,” he noted.

With a population of some 110,000 people, Sahab is home to more than 400 factories, in addition to 40 workshops that grind and shred scrap plastic located in residential areas.

Shboul said that authorities have been closely monitoring industries since the new Environmental Protection Law went into force in April, granting the ministry stronger jurisdiction over industries.

The new law maximises governmental control over the Kingdom’s natural resources, with new articles added to the bill to keep up with the latest developments in the sector, given that the first environmental protection law was issued over a decade ago, according to the ministry.

The new law stipulates stricter penalties against polluters and abusers of the environment and links the amount of fines to the impact of the violation, according to the ministry.

The law contains articles on electronic, chemical, hazardous and prohibited waste; management of mineral oils; as well as ozone-depleting materials. It also encourages green investments, intensifies monitoring of industries and enhances the protection of natural resources, including water resources and forests